What is conflict?
Conflict is a sharp disagreement of interests, ideas or
opinions. Levels of conflict
• Includes the perceived divergence of interest or a There are four levels of commonly identified conflict:
belief that current aspirations cannot be achieved
simultaneously • Intrapersonal conflict occurs within an individual
• Interpersonal conflict occurs between individuals
Interdependent relationships have the potential for • Intra-group conflict occurs within a group
conflict • Inter-group conflict is between groups (most complex)
• Negotiation can play a role in resolving conflict
effectively
Collaborating through differences: There are some Interpersonal conflict is a problematic situation with the
key differences between parties following 4 unique characteristics:
• Difference in interests
• Differences in judgements about the future 1. The conflicting parties are interdependent
• Differences in risk tolerance 2. They have the perception that they seek incompatible goals or
• Differences in tie preference outcomes or they favour incompatible means to same ends
3. The perceived incompatibility ha the potential to adversely
Collaboration (value creation) is often created by affect the relationship
exploiting common interests, but differences can also 4. There is a sense of urgency about the need to resolve the
serve as the basis for collaboration difference
Functions and dysfunctions of conflict
Functions: Should conflict be avoided?
• Discussion raises awareness Destructive (negative view) inflexible behaviour
• Brings change and adaptation and aimed at defeating others, leading to avoid
• Strengthens relationships and boosts morale improving situations and interpersonal
• Promotes self-awareness relationships
• Personal development
• Stimulating and fun Productive (positive view) flexible behaviour
and aimed at resolving problems and achieving
Dysfunctions: mutual goals, improving the relationship
• Misperception and bias increase But…. Conflict is inevitable
• Escalation of the conflict The closer and more interdependent the
• Emotionality may increase relationships, the higher the likelihood of issues.
• Proactive communication decreases Also, more trivial complaints become more
• Blurred central issues significant and feelings become more intense
• Magnified differences, minimised similarities
Engaging in mutual adjustment
Managing interdependence When parties are interdependent, they have to find a way to resolve their
Two types of situations: differences — mutual adjustment is one of the key cause of the changes that
occur during a negotiation
Zero-sum or distributive situations —
individuals are so linked together that there is a Concession making When one party agrees to make a change in his or her
negative correlation between their goal position, a concession has ben made. Concessions restrict the range of options
attainments. When the degree to which one within a solution oran agreement will reached — when a party makes a
persona achieves his or her goal, the other concession.
person’s goals attainment is blocked (ie. A race • The bargaining range — the range of possible agreements between the two
where only one can win or when people divide parties’ minimally acceptable settlements
a limited resource)
Two dilemmas in mutual adjustment in negotiation (Harold Kelley, 1966)
Non-zero sum or Integrative or Mutual- 1. The Dilemma of Honesty How much of the truth should we tell the other
gains situations — where there is a positive party?
correlation between the goal attainments of 2. The Dilemma of Trust How much should negotiators believe what the
both parties. other party is telling them?
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, Creating or Claiming Value
The structure of interdependence (zero-sum versus non zero sum) shape step strategies that negotiators employ. Most
actual negotiations are a combination of claiming and creating value processes.
Value claiming Value creation The process-view of
conflict: five stages
In distributive situations: In integrative situations:
Negotiators are motivated to win the Negotiators employ win-win 1. Prelude
competition and beat the other party to strategies and tactics. 2. Trigger
gain the largest piece of fixed resource 3. Initiation
they can. Integrative negotiation — attempts to 4. Differentiation
find solutions so both parties can do
Distributive bargaining — negotiator well and achieve their goals
usually employ win-lose strategies and
tactics, where the access the fact that Here, the purpose of negotiation is to
there can be only one winner, given the create value — to find a way for all
situation. parties to meet their objectives, either
by identifying more resources or
Here, the purpose of negotiation is to finding unique ways to share and
claim value — to do whatever is coordinate the use of existing
necessary to claim the reward. resources.
Managing interpersonal conflict
The Dual-Concerns Model
Posits that there are two concerns in an interpersonal conflict: (1) concern about your own outcomes and (2) concern
about other’s outcomes.
Five major strategies for conflict management have been commonly identifies int he dual-
concerns model:
Useful with trivial issues, not
• Contending (also called competing or dominating) — actors pursue their own complex issues
outcomes strongly and show little concern for whether the other party obtains the
desired outcomes. Threats, punishment, intimidation and unilateral action are consistent
with a contending approach to conflict
Helpful if you were wrong,
• Yielding (also called accommodating or obliging) — actors show little interest or not with important issues
concern in whether they attain their own outcomes, but they are quite interested in
whether the other party attains his or her outcomes. Yielding oftentimes brings about
advantages in some situations.
Appropriate for cooling off
• Inaction (also called avoiding) — actors show little interest or concerning whether period, not when responsible
they attain their own outcomes, as well as little concern in whether the other party for a decision
attains theirs. The party prefers to retreat, be silent or do nothing.
• Problem solving (also called collaborating or integrating) — actors who high concern for
attaining their own outcomes as well as the other party’s outcomes. The two parties Needed with complex
actively pursue approaches to maximise their joint outcome form the conflict. situations needing commitment
for success
• Compromising — represents a moderate effort to pushes one’s own outcomes and a
moderate effort to help the other party aches his or hers. (There is a divided views on
the validity of this strategy)
When power is equal — not
when it is not equal or when
problem is very complex
, Week 2 — The Method of Con ict management & Negotiation
Book Chapter: Fisher & Cry (2011) Getting to YES — Chapter 2: The Method
Separate the People form the Problem
The people problem: Interpretation
Negotiators are people first On the other hand, people get angry, depressed
A basic fact about negotiation that is easy to forget, is that you are dealing fearful, hostile. Frustrated and/or offended.
not with abstract representatives of the “other side”, but with human
beings. They have emotions, deeply held values, and different Misunderstanding can reinforce prejudice and
backgrounds and viewpoints, making them unpredictable. lead to reactions that produce counter-reactions in
a vicious circle; rational exploration of possible
• A working relationship where trust, understanding, respect, and solutions becomes impossible and a negotiation
friendship are built up over time can make each new negotiation fails
smoother and more efficient.
• People's desire to feel good about themselves, and their concern for As such, failing to deal with others sensitively can
what others will think of them, can often make them more sensitive to be disastrous for negotiation
another negotiator's interests.
Every negotiator has two kinds of interests: Substance & Relationship
The relationship oftentimes tends to become entangled Dealing directly with the people problem
with the problem Separate the relationship from the substance
• On both the giving and receiving end, we are likely to
treat people and problem as one. In turn, we may treat By basing the relationship on accurate perceptions, clear
the other party with anger or frustration, and egos communication, appropriate emotions, and a forward-looking
become involved in substantive positions. purposive outlook.
• People tend to also draw unfounded inferences from The people problem is inherently psychological — dealing with it
comments on substance and interpret them as facts about should follow psychological processes
the other party’s intentions and attitudes towards them. • Inaccurate perceptions —> look for ways to educate
• Emotions run high —> look of ways to let off steam
• Misunderstanding —> improve communication
Positional bargaining puts relationship and
substance in conflict
The most effective solution for the people problem:
• Positional bargaining deals with a negotiator’s
interests both in substance an din a good Prevention!
relationship by trading one off against the other By building a strong working relationship prior to the negotiation is
the best way to avoid these conflicts.
• Sometimes the relationship is more valuable than
the substance With some foundation of trust to build upon in the subsequent
negotiation, the communication will likely be smoother and more
familiar with routine.
Having a positive relationship before negotiating will likely help to
defuse tension if needed.
Tackling Perception Tackling Emotion Tackling Communication
Understanding the other side’s Cooperatively working out a solution Understanding the power of
thinking by considering emotions interpretation
• Put yourself in their shoes • First recognise and understand • Listen actively and acknowledge
• Discuss each other’s perceptions emotions, theirs and yours what is being said
• Look for opportunities to act • Make emotions explicit and • Speak to be understood
inconsistently with their acknowledge them as legitimate • Speak about yourself, not about
perceptions • Allow the other side to let off them
• Give them a stake in the outcome steam • Speak for a purpose
by making sure they participate in • Don’t react to emotional outbursts
the process • Use symbolic gestures
• Face-saving: make your proposals
consistent with their values
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